Social Media Discourse on Phage Therapy: A Qualitative Content Analysis

Phage therapy, which uses bacteriophages—viruses that infect bacteria—as therapeutic agents, offers a promising approach to combating antibiotic resistance. While established in Russia and former Soviet countries, it remains an emerging practice in Western medicine and is relatively unfamiliar to clinicians, patients, and the public. Understanding how phage therapy is discussed online is therefore vital for shaping regulatory frameworks, science communication and broader adoption. We conducted a retrospective qualitative content analysis of English-language social media posts on phage therapy across X, Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, and Reddit between February and July 2025. Discourse was dominated by neutral, scientific exchange with limited emotive content. Facebook, Instagram, and Reddit showed slightly higher levels of subjective or inaccurate posts. Reddit was distinctive for patient engagement, with users openly seeking phage therapy for chronic infections. A minority of posts contained misinformation or negative portrayals, including false associations with COVID-19 and horror-inspired fan fiction depicting phages as monstrous invaders. While rare, such narratives may disproportionately shape public attitudes through negativity bias and the fuelling of ‘dread risk’ perceptions. These findings highlight the need for timely and targeted communication strategies to raise awareness, counter misinformation, and address cultural anxieties that could hinder acceptance of phage therapy.